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RWC and the TV commentators

Clearly, to be a good TV commentator cannot be easy - after all there is only one Bill McClaren in a lifetime.

However, the fellows on ITV just don't seem to be much of an enhancement to the match for me.

As someone who watches the Tour de France on TV, I appreciate the skill of the commentator who is faced with a set of pictures over which he has no control and still has to fill a 4 or 5 hour programme. They find things that cyclists find interesting and chat about them while leaving the viewer to watch the obvious.

This is not appropriate for a rugby match. They do not have to fill every gap with endless twittering coupled with a commentary more appropriate to radio. Regularly talking over the ref feed and then telling us (sometimes incorrectly) what the ref is saying when if only they would shut up then we would be able to hear it is infuriating.

As usual they have an 'expert' with them who is a past player who may have been brilliant on the pitch but does not qualify as an expert on matters of law and their application.

Enough to start with and get that off my chest! Meanwhile thank god for the mute button...

Re: RWC and the TV commentators

prett much my take mike... I think I'm getting tuned into these commentators and filtering them out better! I personally prefer the sound up because I like to hear the grunts and crowd noise etc (except at goal kicks :-( ).

I thnk it may have been Richie benaud who said something about less is more when commentating for TV.

Re: RWC and the TV commentators

Originally Posted by Mike Whittaker

As someone who watches the Tour de France on TV, I appreciate the skill of the commentator who is faced with a set of pictures over which he has no control and still has to fill a 4 or 5 hour programme.

I take it you watch the ITV4 coverage rather than Eurosport; I can't imagine anyone hearing Sean Kelly's commentary would be able to stay awake long enough to appreciate any skill he may possess.

Re: RWC and the TV commentators

I have taken to watching rugby on mute.

Much better experience and far better for my blood pressure.

Ignorance to one side, the actual quality of commentary is deteriorating. Everything seems to be EPIC, or MASSIVE, or low voice and THEN CRESCENDO OF DRAMA.
Sometimes, fellas, it's just been a passage of play.

You know things are bad when you yearn for Eddie Butler!

The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane. Marcus Aurelius

Man may do as he will; he may not will what he willsArthur Schopenhauer

Tullamore Dew, the Afghan Wigs, and many, many strippers - how to get over your ex. How true.

Re: RWC and the TV commentators

Football experimented with a red button feature where you could have to crowd noise but no commentary. It was perfect! If only rugby could have that. No more of "Jiffy" shouting "NUMBERS!!!!!" for 80 minutes.

What annoys me with the commentators is that they can see the ref signaling, for example "Holding on" and saying "2 red holding on" they then announce "he's pinged the flanker for going off his feet" or some such tosh. Why can't they look and listen to the ref?

The tenet that a referee is the sole arbiter of fact and law, allows me to be wrong, not stupid.